


Evacuation or Restoration?

by Sokka_Mushroom



Category: Bastion
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, One Shot, evacuation ending, restoration ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2013-07-22
Packaged: 2017-12-20 23:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/893335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokka_Mushroom/pseuds/Sokka_Mushroom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two different scenarios of each outcome. The Kid must choose the fate of himself and the remaining survivors. But whose fate will change for the better? Whose happiness is more important? Who means more? Zulf? Or is it Zia?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Evacuation or Restoration?

_Evacuation or Restoration?_

Tears drip from her cheek onto his shoulder as she holds him close whispering, “Thank you. Thank you so much.” The Kid isn’t sure why, but his face feels real hot. A fluttering feeling quickly dominates his heart and stomach which makes him feel rather light-headed. She smells like lavender. Like fresh cut grass. Clean. But her hands make him uncomfortable, like he can’t move. Like he shouldn’t. Her fingers are cold against his burning neck. Yeah. This is real uncomfortable. Her grasp only lasts a few moments though, as she pushes him back a bit when she finally hugs him. The Kid’s face turns from pink to red and his throat starts to throb too. All these tingling feelings over an embrace? The fluttering subsides as a worn and dark figure, Zulf, drags his body past them. The Kid doesn’t want to be rude to the young woman, so he gently untangles her firm grip on his waist and rests his hand on her shoulder gingerly as he walks toward his friend. Despite the distant gesture, Zia giggles to herself and wipes her teary eyes.

The Kid already knows Zulf’s past. When the Calamity struck, he lost everything. Zulf thought he was the only survivor, something they both had in common.

Zulf and the Kid sit on the edge of the Bastion in silence for a long while. Their legs dangle over the edge as Zulf stares out at the endless sky. He seems distant, but the Kid doesn’t say a word. He enjoys the view too and rests his hands behind him as the soothing breeze floats through his tangled white hair. Just as the Kid is sure Zulf is standing to leave, a murmered “Thank you” slips from his mouth instead. The Kid gets what Zulf means by it: he’s grateful the Kid didn’t leave him behind. He was the enemy; he even threatened the lives of both the Kid and Zia. The Kid nods in reply, knowing that even though Zulf was appreciative, he would never be happy.

“She worries about you, you know. She must have the warmest feelings; I can tell by the way she watches you.” The Kid has no idea what Zulf means, and watches him slowly turn away. Zulf stops for a moment and looks straight at him before mumbling to himself, “My lover used to look at me like that too…”

The Kid gets up and dusts himself off. He thinks about whether choosing to evacuate was the best choice or not. He wanted Zulf to be happy, to enjoy his life. He wanted Zulf to let go of his haunting past and move forward with a smile, but…The only expression he wears is one of sorrow.

But Zia sure looked happy. Seeing her so alive makes his heart ache.

In a good way.

He thinks.

Well, he isn’t really sure.

Is this what Zulf meant by ‘feelings’? The Kid scratches his head in confusion and hears the familiar strumming of a guitar-harp from behind him. He turns around to see Zulf and Rucks sitting on blankets eating stew as Zia sings a beautiful melody. Her voice is calm but clear and her tone is so inviting, he allows himself to be seduced by her voice and sits by her side, letting her hums lull him to sleep. A last thought crosses his mind as he feels pleasant lips press against his temple. Maybe Evacuation wasn’t such a bad idea after all…

~***~

Soft hands envelope his half-heartedly. “I’ll miss you, Kid.” Zia’s voice was strong and steady this time. She reaches up and gives him a chaste kiss on the cheek. Her grip is loose, and her scent is different, like soap and perfume. “Maybe we’ll even remember each other.” She drops his hand abruptly and looks at him, almost _pleadingly_ , and she begins to walk into the light.

Still red in the face when Rucks appears in front of him, the Kid nods firmly after Rucks shakes his hand and rewards him with a “good job, Kid.” The only one left is Zulf, who seems to be missing. The Kid looks around for him, only to find him already running into the restored world. He sees Zulf turn and smile in thanks, something the Kid never thought he would witness. With that, all three are gone into the new Bastion and the Kid can’t help but take a last gander at the world he is leaving behind. A world he risked his life saving, he thinks. A world they all built a home on and learned to get along…But now they’re returning and the Kid can’t shake the feeling of hope bubbling in his chest. Will Restoration bring back everything that was lost? Even…

He wonders if he’ll remember any of this, but it doesn’t hold him up ‘cause the thought of his mother sends him into a sprint and all at once,

the Bastion dissolves.

He wakes up, banging his head on a loose board next to his bed. He takes a sharp breath and rubs his head gingerly, a blush already creeping onto his face.

“Sounds like someone’s already awake.”

The Kid doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t even reach back for his companion, the trusty hammer, in defense. He knows that voice. He inhales slowly. Holds it. And finally lets out his breath. He loosens his grip and opens each palm slowly, letting his breath quiver from quiet excitement. It’s been a long time. He walks out into his kitchen and finds a woman, beautiful, but much too fragile. Her hair is white, and her face shows age, but it still glows with life and the ends of her mouth bend upward.

“Good morning, Soldier Boy.” She’s so busy washing dishes, she doesn’t notice the corners of his mouth rise. It was so subtle she probably wouldn’t have noticed anyway. The Kid wraps his arm around her shoulder and kisses her forehead sweetly. She sees the smile now.

“I’ll wash the dishes, Mother”

For Zulf, he comes home to his hopes and dreams. He doesn’t wake to and empty and ashen town. He wakes to a lively bunch of people gathering together in rejoice over his engagement. As he holds his dearest in his arms, he takes in a deep breath, the scent of her nostalgic. Tears form in his eyes but he laughs instead for the first time in a long time. He squeezes her tighter, making sure she knows just how much he loves her. As if the wedding band ‘round her finger wasn’t enough.

“I’m not going anywhere, you don’t have to hold me so tight”, she laughs. He only holds her longer, excitement filling him to the tips.

Zia is a different story though.

Zia wakes up in the same old familiar place. The air is musty as always, and the empty space surrounding her is cold. She strums her harp and hums along, a simple melody she learned years ago. The Bastion. It’s all she thinks about. She wonders if the others remember her. She wonders if Zulf is back with his lively village, if Rucks is enjoying himself running some Forgery Shop somewhere. She wonders if the Kid is happy. If he even recalls who she is? She laughs at the thought. She laughs and laughs until she falls to her knees and breaks down in heavy sobs. She will always be alone.

Always.

~***~

He springs up and a loud clang resounds as his forehead comes in contact with a metal pot. The holder drops it from his force and hot water pours down his chest and stomach, down to his knees. He stifles a curse and rubs his head tentatively, already knowing who was in the tent. Zia lifts the pot and stares at him until he notices. She’s biting her lip so hard he thinks it might bleed. She’s holding her breath and her eyes are brimming with tears too.

“I’m sorry. This is not funny. Are you alright, Kid?” she laughs, her bubbly, contagious laughter. He wants to answer, but his tongue feels too big for his mouth and his face starts to tingle. He’s blushing. And Zia notices.

“Um, I-You’re pretty banged-uh-bruised-“ she hides her face behind the pot she’s holding and takes a second to breathe. “You’re last venture left you badly injured, so I was just making sure you were alright. There’s a bath ready for you behind that curtain and I washed your clothes-“, she noticed him look down and quickly stuttered, “most of your clothes I mean. They’re next to the bath. I’ll just be um outside, and if you need anything you can just shout.” Zia giggles nervously and begins to leave the tent, but the Kid grabs her wrist and pulls her back. The sudden movement, although gentle, causes her other hand to drop by her side alongside the pot that was still in her grasp. Her face is completely red. “What is it?” she asks.

“Evacuation or Restoration?”


End file.
